A Holistic Approach to Parasite Prevention in Pets

Intestinal parasites are common in pets. Common causes of intestinal parasites in pets include but are not limited to ingesting a parasite or its eggs in contaminated water and, in some cases, food, licking items, or surfaces contaminated with feces from an infected animal. They can also spread from pet to pet through their feces. Luckily, many alternative interventions for parasitic infestations generally have few side effects from the drugs conventional practitioners often prescribe for pets. You can check your pet’s stool for parasites or send the sample off to be examined by a lab. Laboratory testing is much more definitive and what I recommend to most pet parents. You can drop off a specimen at your pet’s primary veterinary office for analysis, or if your pet doesn’t have a primary, you can buy a test kit online without needing a script from a veterinarian.

 

Alternative Interventions for Parasites:

Pumpkin seeds contain this incredible amino acid called cucurbitin, which paralyzes and eliminates parasites in your dog or cat’s intestinal tract. This amino acid can lose potency, so I recommend grounding and giving immediately. You can accomplish this by putting whole organic pumpkin seeds in a coffee grinder.

Therapeutic Dosage for Pumpkin Seeds: 1/4tsp per 10lbs of body weight one to two times daily until parasites clear

Raw diets are exceptional for preventing infestations because they maintain the health of the digestive tract and the animal’s general health, making their gut less hospitable for parasites.

When fed briefly, coconut oil can kill intestinal worms and works well. It can even rid your dog or cat of tapeworms, roundworms, giardia, and other parasites. When an animal consumes coconut oil, their body converts lauric acid to monolaurin, which is a monoglyceride that has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of viruses, bacterial infections, tapeworms, giardia, and many other parasites as well.

 

Therapeutic Dosage for Coconut Oil/MCT:

1/8tsp Cats, 1/4tsp Small Breeds, 1/2tsp Medium Breeds, 1tsp Large Dogs, 1tbsp

Giant Breeds, up to twice daily Coconut oil can cause diarrhea in some pets initially.

I recommend starting with half a dose.

However, to prevent parasites, I recommend MCT oil given daily.

When fed daily for two weeks, food-grade diatomaceous earth also works as a deworming agent. All parasites are typically eliminated within a week when fed daily, but it can be provided for up to thirty days safely to eliminate all internal intestinal parasites.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is known to eliminate whipworms, roundworms, pinworms, and hookworms.

Dosage:

1/4 tsp for kittens 1tsp for large cats

1 tablespoon per day for dogs over 55lbs

1 teaspoon per day for small breeds and puppies

How it works:

Diatomaceous earth has microscopic sharpness and a strong drying effect. It can dehydrate the exoskeleton of insects and intestinal worms, ultimately killing and expelling parasites from the body.

Carrots are high in vitamin A and can help expel intestinal parasites.

Coarsely chopped carrots scrape the walls of the stomach and gut as they are digested, removing harmful mucus and even parasites that build up in these walls.

Highly Active Antiparasitic Agents for Severe Infestation: Olive leaf contains oleuropein, a phytochemical that is effective for expelling parasites from the intestinal tract. Extracts with 12% oleuropein or higher are the most effective.

Therapeutic Dosage For Olive Leaf:

Do not exceed 20mg for cats

Small pup-150mg per day

Medium pup-250mg per day

Large pup-500mg per day Olive leaf can be given for up to 8 weeks.

Oregon grape is a powerful antiparasitic agent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Oregon grape can be slightly harsh on the liver, so make sure to give with a high-quality milk thistle such as HerbSmith and give your animal plenty of access to water. That being said, it is not safe for animals with liver disease. It is also not recommended for nursing pets.

Therapeutic Dosage for Oregon Grape:

Around six drops per 10lbs of body weight for cats

Around twelve drops per 20 lbs of body weight for dogs

I do not recommend long-term use, especially for prevention.

This herb should be reserved for infestation.

My parasite cleanse product –

I have a product that is formulated as a homeopathic dilution for pets that focuses on eliminating all present parasites.

 

My Guide to General Prevention Practices:

(1) Feed a biologically appropriate diet. Raw diet (80:10:10)

(2) Supply a prebiotic and probiotic supplement for maintenance.

Provide digestive enzymes specifically for older pets as their enzymes decrease with age or if your pet is on a moderate to high carbohydrate diet. Along with a gastrointestinal targeted anti-inflammatory and gut healing protocol if gut damage or dysfunction has occurred.

(3) Apple cider vinegar in pet’s water.

It creates a more alkaline digestive system, a less desirable environment for parasites, and one where survival is difficult.

Therapeutic Dosage for Apple Cider Vinegar 1/2-1tsp for all pets

The healthier your animal’s gut (gastrointestinal tract) is, the less inhabitable it will be to parasites.